Free Throw Line and DeMar DeRozan
During the first quarter, DeMar DeRozan lived at the free throw line.
The Raptors got to the line 16 times in the first stanza. 12 of those times–DeRozan.
He didn’t have a single field goal that quarter, and made the free throw line work for him.
While Washington only got to the line 4 times that quarter.
DeRozan would end the game with 35 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds.
He would also have a career playoff-high of 18 free throw attempts. Connecting on 14 of them.
DeRozan appeared from the start as if he would have to take over the game for the Raptors to get the win.
While his backcourt mate, Kyle Lowry knocked down three shots from 3-point range. Some with a kind bounce to fall in. He also finished with 19 points and 7 rebounds.
However, Lowry didn’t get his teammates involved with the Raptors offense, only dishing out 5 assists. Unless he’s going to match DeRozan’s numbers, he had to share the ball and he didn’t tonight.
Of course, credit is due to the Wizards defense. But there wasn’t a lot of ball movement when the ball was in Lowry’s hands.